Separable identification assembly

ABSTRACT

An identification assembly is provided having a tag assembly and a bracket assembly, the tag assembly comprising a front plate rotatably fixed to a tag body. In accordance with embodiments, the front plate has two identification surfaces and the tag body has one identification surface, and the tag assembly is configured to removably receive the bracket assembly.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to an identification assembly, andmore specifically, to an animal identification assembly that has aplurality of identification surfaces within a single tag assembly.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, an identification assemblyis provided comprising a tag assembly and a bracket assembly, whereinthe tag assembly comprising a front plate rotatably fixed to a tag body,wherein the front plate has two identification surfaces and the tag bodyhas one identification surface, and the tag body is configured toremovably receive the bracket assembly.

In accordance with embodiments, the bracket assembly comprises twobrackets, each comprising a tag receiving portion having a top surfaceand a bottom surface, wherein the tag receiving portion is configured tobe received by a bracket slot defined by the tag body.

In accordance with embodiments, the tag body may further comprise abracket stop that protrudes into each of the bracket slots defined bythe tag body, the bracket stop configured to abut the top surface of thetag body receiving portion of each bracket.

In accordance with embodiments, the tag body may further comprise leversconfigured to protrude into each of the bracket slots and engage abottom surface of the tag receiving portion of the bracket.

In accordance with embodiments, the levers may be configured to bedisengageable from the bottom surface of the tag receiving portion ofeach of the brackets in the bracket slots such that the bracket can beremoved from the tag body.

In accordance with embodiments, the identification surfaces may beengravable surfaces. In accordance with aspects and embodiments of thedisclosure, a collar assembly is provided comprising a band having afirst end and a second end and an identification assembly, wherein theidentification assembly comprises three identification surfaces and isconfigured to be removably received between the first end of the bandand the second end of the band.

In accordance with embodiments, the collar may further comprise abracket assembly.

In accordance with embodiments, the bracket assembly may comprise twobrackets, each bracket having a collar receiving portion and a tagreceiving portion.

In accordance with embodiments, the identification assembly may comprisea tag assembly having a front plate rotatably secured to a tag body.

In accordance with embodiments, the first plate may comprise a firstidentification surface and a second identification surface, where thefirst identification surface is opposite the second identificationsurface.

In accordance with embodiments, the tag body may have a thirdidentification surface.

In accordance with embodiments, the front plate may be removably fixedto the tag body.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, a tag assembly is providedcomprising a front plate rotatably fixed to a tag body and a backplateaffixed to the tag body, wherein the tag assembly further comprisesthree identification surfaces.

In accordance with embodiments, the identification surfaces may beengravable surfaces.

In accordance with embodiments, the front plate may comprise a firstidentification surface and a second identification surface, wherein thefirst identification surface is opposite the second identificationsurface.

In accordance with embodiments, the tag body may comprise a thirdidentification surface opposite the back plate.

In accordance with embodiments, the front plate may comprise a lipextending from the second identification surface.

In accordance with embodiments, identification surfaces may not contactone another. In accordance with embodiments, the front plate may beremovably fixed to the tag body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A provides a front view of an identification assembly inaccordance with aspects and embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1B provides a front view of an identification assembly inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1C provides a back view of an identification assembly in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 provides a front view of an identification assembly in accordancewith aspects embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 provides a front view of an identification assembly in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 provides a back view of an identification assembly in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 provides a back view of an unassembled identification assembly inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 6 provides a back view of an identification assembly in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 provides a back view of a partially assembled identificationassembly in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 provides a back view of a tag assembly in accordance with aspectsand embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 provides a bottom view of a tag assembly in accordance withembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 provides an exploded view of a tag assembly in accordance withaspects and embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 11 provides a collar assembly in accordance with aspects andembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 provides an unassembled collar assembly in accordance withembodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Many pet owners desire to equip their pet with identifying and pertinentinformation regarding the pet's name, the owners' information, anyrelevant health information about the animal, and other importantinformation useful in case of an emergency. In addition, manymunicipalities require animals that walk on public property to displaymunicipal pet license numbers and proof of vaccinations. The result isthat often an owner must equip their pet's collar with multipleidentification tags. These tags can be cumbersome to the animal andgenerate a nuisance jingling sound when the animal moves about. Inaddition to causing noise, when more than one tag is present on ananimal's collar, the tags rub and bang into one another which over timecauses a degradation of legibility of the information presented on them.Moreover, pet owners often seek to provide fashionable accessories fortheir pets, and some owners enjoy changing out their pet's accessoriesfrequently. Thus, accessories that are both capable of conveyinginformation and have interchangeable features are desirable.

The present disclosure is thus directed to an animal identificationassembly that advantageously stores all necessary and desired animalinformation without the undesired jingling and degradation ofinformation and, also allows the owner to swap out the band portion ofthe assembly as frequently as desired.

The identification assemblies of the present disclosure have a tagassembly having a plurality of surfaces capable of displayinginformation. The tag assembly is constructed and arranged such that eachof the surfaces do not contact one another and thus the degradation ofinformation displayed on each of the surfaces resulting from contactwith the other surfaces is avoided. Moreover, because the surfaces donot contact each other, the tag assembly is silent.

In a first embodiment, identification assembly 1000 is provided, asshown in FIGS. 1A-1C. Identification assembly 1000 has tag assembly 1,bracket assembly 2, latch assembly 3, and lever assembly 4. Tag assembly1 has front plate 1.1, tag body 1.2, and back plate 1.3. As shown inFIG. 1B, front plate 1.1 is rotatably connected to tag body 1.2. Asshown in FIG. 1C, back plate 1.3 is permanently affixed to tag body 1.2.Front plate 1.1 has surface 1.1-1 and surface 1.1-2. Tag body 1.2 hassurface 1.2-3. Surfaces 1.1-1, 1.1-2, and 1.1-3 may be display surfaces.As used herein, a display surface is any surface capable of displaying adesign or information and the phrase “display surface” may be usedinterchangeably with the phrase “identification surface.” Theidentification surfaces of the present disclosures need only be capableof displaying information and may, for example, be left blank. Inaccordance with aspects and embodiments, surfaces may, alternatively,display an ornamental design. Front plate 1.1 is secured to tag body 1.2by latch assembly 3.

In a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 2-10, identification assembly 2000is provided. Identification assembly 2000 is shown in FIG. 2 in theclosed position. As shown in FIG. 2, identification assembly 2000 hasfront plate 100 attached to tag body 200 by hinge assembly 500. Hingeassembly 500 is positioned at top surface 20 of tag body 200.Identification 2000 further has brackets 400A and 400B and levers 600Aand 600B. Front plate 100 has front identification surface 10.

Identification assembly 2000 is shown in FIG. 3 in the open position. Inthe open position, front plate 100 is rotated horizontally about hingeassembly 500 to reveal identification surface 50 on tag body 200.Identification assembly 2000 also has identification surface 40 on frontplate 100. Identification surface 10 is opposite identification surface40.

In some embodiments, and as shown in FIG. 3, front plate 100 may havefront plate lip 150, also referred to herein simply as lip 150,extending perpendicularly from identification surface 40 of front plate100. Lip 150 may effectively recess identification surface 40 such thatwhen identification assembly 100 is in the closed position, as shown inFIG. 2, identification surface 40 does not come in to contact withidentification surface 50. This recessed position of identificationsurface 40 advantageously ensures that information displayed onidentification surface 40 and on identification surface 50 is notcompromised by friction forces that occur during wear which may, overtime, degrade the legibility of the information displayed on surfaces 40and 50.

In some embodiments, identification surfaces 10, 40, and 50 may beengravable surfaces, enamel surfaces capable of displayingidentification information, or identification surfaces 10, 40, and 50may display information by being affixed with an information-containinglabel or by any other method capable of displaying information. Oneidentification surface might display information in a different mannerthan another identification surface in the same identification assembly2000. For example, an identification assembly may have an identificationsurface 10 engraved with an animal's name and may have an identificationsurface 50 affixed with a label displaying the animal's currentmedications. In a preferred embodiment, identification surfaces 10, 40,and 50 are engravable surfaces.

Referring again to FIG. 3, front plate 100 may have closure piece 70positioned on or extending from identification surface 40. Tag body 200may have corresponding closure piece 80 positioned on identificationsurface 50. Closure piece 70 may engage closure piece 80 to secure frontplate 100 to tag body 200. For example, and in a preferred embodiment,closure piece 70 is a magnetic latch and closure piece 80 is a magneticcatch such that closure pieces 70 and 80 operate as a magnetic closureassembly. In other embodiments, front plate 100 may be secured to tagbody 200 by other closure mechanisms, and for example, by a mechanicalflexible one-piece flat spring latch, or by any other suitable fastenerassembly.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, identification assembly has brackets 400A and400B, collectively referred to as a bracket assembly. Brackets 400A and400B are removably received by a corresponding portion of tag body 200.For example, and as shown in FIGS. 2-4, bracket 400A is received bybracket receiving slot 30A of tag body 200. Levers 600A and 600Bcooperate with brackets 400A and 400B respectively to engage anddisengage brackets 400A and 400B from tag body 200.

The bracket receiving slots of tag body 200 receive internal bracketportions 42A and 42B of brackets 400A and 400B, as show in FIGS. 5-7.Internal bracket portions 42A and 42B have top surfaces 43A and 43B andbottom surfaces 44A and 44B. When internal bracket portions 42A and 42Bare inserted in bracket receiving slots 30A and 30B respectively of tagbody 200, top surfaces 43A and 43B of brackets 400A and 400B abutbracket stops 31A and 31B in bracket slots 30A and 30B. Bracket stops31A and 31B are protrusions formed in tag body 200 that extend intobracket slots 30A and 30B that prevent internal bracket portions 42A and42B from moving freely throughout the full space of slots 30A and 30B.External bracket portions 41A and 41B of brackets 400A and 400B remainoutside of slots 30A and 30B regardless of the position of internalbracket portions 42A and 42B. End portions 45A and 45B of brackets 400Aand 400B are in the same plane as internal bracket portions 43A and 43B.When brackets 400A and 400B are engaged by levers 600A and 600B, endportions 45A and 45B are fully received within bracket slots 30A and30B. If, however, brackets 400A and 400B are only partially withinbracket slots 400A and 400B such that top surfaces 43A and 43B are notabutting bracket stops 31A and 31B and levers 600A and 600B are notengaging bottom surfaces 44A and 44B, a portion or all of end portions45A and 45B may be external to receiving slots 30A and 30B.

In accordance with embodiments, tag body 200 has back surfaces 90 and91, as shown in FIG. 5. When assembled, surface 91 of tag body 200 iscovered by backplate 99, as shown in FIG. 4. Surface 91 of tag body 200forms lever recesses 33A and 33B and spring pockets 34A and 34B. Tagbody 200 also defines hinge cavity 35. Levers 600A and 600B are seatedin lever recesses 33A and 33B as shown in FIGS. 5-10. As shown in FIGS.6-7, springs 39A and 39B are seated in spring pockets 34A and 34B.Springs 39A and 39B in spring pockets 34A and 34B exert pressure onlevers 600A and 600B, causing levers 600A and 600B to extend intobracket receiving slots 30A and 30B. When brackets 400A and 400B areinserted into bracket receiving slots 30A and 30B, as shown in FIG. 6,levers 600A and 600B, when not engaged by external force, abut bottomsurfaces 44A and 44B of internal bracket portions 42A and 42B. Levers600 and bracket stops 31 therefore lock internal bracket portion 42 intoa fixed position within bracket slot 30 and join bracket assembly 400 totag body 200.

As shown in FIG. 7, brackets 400A and 400B can be disengaged from tagbody 200 by exerting inward pressure on the levers. When lever 600B isengaged by exerted a force on it to compress spring 39B in spring pocket34B, the force causes the lever to rotate counter-clockwise within leverrecess 33B. The counter-clockwise rotation causes lever 600A to clearbracket receiving slot 30B, and thus it no longer abuts bottom surface44B of internal bracket portion 42B. Internal bracket portion 42B isable to freely exit bracket receiving slot 30B and disengage from tagbody 200.

In accordance with embodiments and referring to FIG. 10, a tag assemblyis provided having backplate 99, tag body 200, hinge 55 and hinge pin56, front plate 100, and brackets 400A and 400B. Front plate 100 hasinner surface 40 and lip 150 extending perpendicular from inner surface40. Hinge 55 extends perpendicularly from inner surface 40 and from lip150. Front plate 100 rotates freely around hinge pin 56. Tag body 200defines hinge cavity 35 that receives hinge 55 and hinge pin 56, therebyaffixing front plate 100 to tag body 200.

Still referring to FIG. 10, in accordance with embodiments backplate 99has throughholes 99-1, 99-2, 99-3 and 99-4. Throughholes 99-1, 99-2,99-3, and 99-4 receive screws 991, 992, 993, and 994, respectively.Screws 991 and 992 are received in througholes 99-12 and 99-22,respectively, on surface 91 of tag body 200. Screw 994 passes throughlever 600A via throughhole 99-42 and is received in a throughhole (notshown) in lever recess 34A of tag body 200, and screw 993 passes throughlever 600B via throughhole 99-32 and is received in throughout 99-33 inlever recess 34B of tag body 200. Screws 991, 992, 993, and 994 fixbackplate 99 and levers 600A and 600B to tag body 200.

In another embodiment, a collar assembly is provided having a band andidentification assembly. A band of flexible material, such as wovennylon or cotton fabric webbing may be connected to the identificationassemblies disclosed herein and be worn by an animal. The collar portionmay be replaced as desired. The collar may, for example, be replaced toprovide fashionable variations to pet owners, or may simply be replacedwhen a given collar begins to show signs of wear. The collar may bereplaced to accommodate an animal as it grows. Alternatively, the collarmay have features that enable it to be adjusted to accommodate changesin pet size.

In accordance with embodiments, a collar assembly 3000 having a band offlexible material 900, also referred to herein as a collar, cooperateswith identification assembly 2000, as shown in FIGS. 11-12. Band 900 hasfirst end 90A and second end 90B. First end 90A forms loop 95A and sendend 90B forms loop 95B. Loop 95A cooperates with external bracketportion 41A of bracket 400A and loop 95B cooperates with externalbracket portion 41B of bracket 400B to receive band end 90A and band end90B. The combination of band 900, bracket 400A, tag body 200, andbracket 400B forms a continuous loop.

When a bracket is disengaged from the tag body, band 900 canadvantageously be removed from the bracket by virtue of the uniquebracket design of the present disclosure. This feature enables the bandto be replaced to accommodate fashion updates, changes in size, and/orreplacing bands that are showing signs of wear. As shown in FIG. 12,loop 95B is received on external bracket portion 41B. Loop 95B can,however, removed entirely from bracket 400B when bracket 400B is atleast partially disengaged tag body 200 such that bottom portion 45B isexternal to bracket slot 30B and thus outside of tag body 200. Band 900can then be removed from bracket 400B by sliding loop 95B down externalbracket portion 41B of bracket 400B and off end portion 45B. The samesequence can be repeated on the opposite side, i.e., for bracket 400Aand loop 94A to completely remove band 900 from identification assembly1000.

Although certain representative embodiments and advantages have beendescribed in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various modifications and variations can be made in the presentinvention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theinvention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification andexamples be considered as exemplary only.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An identification assembly comprising: atag assembly and a bracket assembly, the tag assembly comprising a frontplate rotatably fixed to a tag body, the front plate having a firstidentification surface and a second identification surface, wherein thefirst identification surface is opposite the second identificationsurface and the tag body having a third identification surface; whereinthe tag body defines a tag body front side having a front width and atag body back side having a back width, wherein the tag body back sideand front side are joined by tag body side walls, the tag body sidewalls spaced from one another at a width less than the width of thefront width and less than the width of the back width such that the tagbody front side, the tag body side walls, and the tag body back sidedefine a bracket slot on each side of the tag body; wherein each bracketslot has a widthwise opening at a distal widthwise end of the tag body,the bracket assembly prevented from removal through the widthwise end;the tag body configured to removably receive the bracket assembly in alengthwise direction perpendicular to the widthwise end of the tag body;wherein the bracket assembly comprises two brackets and wherein eachbracket comprises a tag receiving portion and a collar receivingportion, the tag receiving portion having a top surface and a bottomsurface and the tag receiving portion is configured to be received bythe bracket slot defined by the tag body; wherein the tag body furthercomprises a bracket stop that protrudes into each of the bracket slotsdefined by the tag body, the bracket stop configured to abut the topsurface of the tag body receiving portion of each bracket; and whereinthe tag body further comprises levers configured to protrude into eachof the bracket slots and engage a bottom surface of the tag receivingportion of the bracket.
 2. The identification assembly of claim 1,wherein the levers are configured to be disengageable from the bottomsurface of the tag receiving portion of each of the brackets in thebracket slots such that the bracket can be removed from the tag body. 3.The identification assembly of claim 2, wherein the identificationsurfaces are engravable surfaces.
 4. An identification assemblycomprising a tag assembly and a bracket assembly, the tag assemblycomprising a front plate rotatably fixed to a tag body, the front platehaving two identification surfaces and the tag body having oneidentification surface, wherein the tag body is configured to removablyreceive the bracket assembly; wherein the bracket assembly comprises twobrackets and wherein each bracket comprises a tag receiving portionhaving a top surface and a bottom surface and the tag receiving portionis configured to be received by a bracket slot defined by the tag body;wherein the tag body further comprises a bracket stop that protrudesinto each of the bracket slots defined by the tag body, the bracket stopconfigured to abut the top surface of the tag body receiving portion ofeach bracket; and wherein the tag body further comprises leversconfigured to protrude into each of the bracket slots and engage abottom surface of the tag receiving portion of the bracket.
 5. Theidentification assembly of claim 4, wherein the levers are configured tobe disengageable from the bottom surface of the tag receiving portion ofeach of the brackets in the bracket slots such that the bracket can beremoved from the tag body.
 6. The identification assembly of claim 4,wherein the identification surfaces are engravable surfaces.